मगर (magar)
conjunction/noun
A common conjunction meaning 'but'; also has a less common noun sense meaning 'crocodile' (usually written मगर (magar) as well, though मगरमच्छ (magarmachchh) is the everyday word for the animal).
Sense
1
:
but, however
conjunction
Synonyms: लेकिन (lekin), पर (par, shorter, very common), किंतु (kintu, more formal/literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear मगर (magar) constantly in everyday arguments and Bollywood dialogues, often carrying a little extra feeling, like someone pausing before delivering the 'but' that changes everything. It sits alongside पर (par) and लेकिन (lekin) as one of three near-synonyms every learner ends up using daily.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often treat मगर (magar) and लेकिन (lekin) as fully interchangeable, which is true in most sentences, but मगर (magar) can sound slightly more emphatic or emotional in speech, almost like 'but still...'. 2) पर (par) is the go-to casual choice in fast conversation; overusing मगर (magar) in every sentence can sound a bit heavy or dramatic.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे पार्टी में जाना था मगर बारिश शुरू हो गई।
I wanted to go to the party, but it started raining.
(mujhe paartii men jaanaa thaa magar baarish shuroo ho gaii।)
वह पढ़ने में तेज़ है मगर बोलने में थोड़ा शर्माता है।
He's sharp at studies, but he's a bit shy when it comes to speaking.
(vah padhne men tez hai magar bolne men thodaa sharmaataa hai।)
मैं तुम्हारी बात मान लूँगा मगर एक शर्त है।
I will agree with you, but there's one condition.
(main tumhaarii baat maan loongaa magar ek shart hai।)
कोशिश करो मगर हार मत मानना।
Try, but don't give up.
(koshish karo magar haar mat maannaa।)
अगर उसने मुझे पहले बता दिया होता, मगर उसने कुछ नहीं कहा।
If he had told me earlier -- but he said nothing.
(agar usne mujhe pahle bataa diyaa hotaa, magar usne kuchh nahiin kahaa।)
शायद वह आ जाए, मगर मुझे यकीन नहीं है।
Maybe he'll come, but I'm not sure.
(shaayad vah aa jaae, magar mujhe yakiin nahiin hai।)
काम पूरा कर दिया गया मगर समय पर नहीं।
The work was finished, but not on time.
(kaam pooraa kar diyaa gayaa magar samay par nahiin।)
सर, मैं मानता हूँ कि गलती हुई, मगर हालात भी ऐसे ही थे।
Sir, I admit there was a mistake, but the circumstances were like that too.
(sar, main maantaa hoon ki galtii huii, magar haalaat bhii aise hii the।)
प्यार तो हो गया, मगर किस्मत ने कुछ और ही लिख रखा था।
Love happened, but fate had written something else altogether.
(pyaar to ho gayaa, magar kismat ne kuchh aur hii likh rakhaa thaa।)
वह हर रोज़ जिम जाता है मगर फिर भी कोई फर्क नहीं दिखता।
He goes to the gym every day, but still no difference shows.
(vah har roz jim jaataa hai magar phir bhii koii phark nahiin dikhtaa।)
Sense
2
:
crocodile
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मगरमच्छ (magarmachchh, everyday word for the animal)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: As a standalone noun for the animal, मगर (magar) is much less common in daily speech than the compound मगरमच्छ (magarmachchh); you will meet it mostly in folk tales, riverside place names, or set phrases rather than casual conversation about zoos.
Sample Sentences:
नदी में एक बड़ा मगर रहता था।
A big crocodile used to live in the river.
(nadii men ek badaa magar rahtaa thaa।)
कहानी में मगर ने बंदर को धोखा दिया।
In the story, the crocodile tricked the monkey.
(kahaanii men magar ne bandar ko dhokhaa diyaa।)
बच्चों, सावधान रहो, तालाब में मगर हो सकता है।
Children, be careful, there might be a crocodile in the pond.
(bachchon, saavdhaan raho, taalaab men magar ho saktaa hai।)
मगर पानी के किनारे धूप में लेटा हुआ था।
The crocodile was lying in the sun by the water's edge.
(magar paanii ke kinaare dhoop men letaa huaa thaa।)
यदि मगर पास आता, तो वह तुरंत भाग जाता।
If the crocodile had come near, he would have run away at once.
(yadi magar paas aataa, to vah turant bhaag jaataa।)
उस गाँव का नाम मगरपुर इसलिए पड़ा क्योंकि वहाँ कभी बहुत मगर पाए जाते थे।
That village came to be called Magarpur because many crocodiles used to be found there once.
(us gaanv kaa naam magarpur islie padaa kyonki vahaan kabhii bahut magar paae jaate the।)
लोक कथाओं में मगर को अक्सर छल का प्रतीक माना जाता है।
In folk tales, the crocodile is often considered a symbol of deceit.
(lok kathaaon men magar ko aksar chhal kaa pratiik maanaa jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
मगर
(magar)
(sg.m.oblique):
मगर
(magar)
(pl.m.direct):
मगर
(magar)
(pl.m.oblique):
मगरों
(magron)